Children of Fate: A Second Generation FanFic
by refuse-to-awake
Summary: In a web full of lies, who can you trust?
1. Prologue

**Title:** Children of Fate: _A Second-Generation Fan Fic_

**Rating:** PG: 13

**Disclaimer:** J. K. Rowling created the Harry Potter universe.

**About the story:** Basically, it follows Harry's daughter and her generation of peers. Give the story a little bit of your time and you'll witness as romances arise and secrets are revealed.

**Other:** Constructive criticism would be really great. A 'I like this... and think you could better with this...' would completely make my day.

* * *

**Prologue**

_x..x_

"My master would like to see the little miss."

The house-elf remained at the door in quiet politeness as the girl's face shifted from confusion to a sort of dumbstruck trance. In no hurry at all, she uncurled her legs and climbed out of the bed, letting the book in her hand drop noiselessly unto the carpeted floor.

"Me, Eppy?" She asked, making sure she had heard right. "He wants to see me? In his room?"

The house-elf nodded; of course, were else could you find the hero nowadays?

He felt a sort of sadness for the girl as she put on her robe and walked through the open door. He knew it was wrong to pity one's master. Pity, his mother had taught him, is for those _beneath_ you. Certainly pitting the young Miss was completely out of the question. Yet, as he followed her through the empty halls and heard the feeble knock on the overpowering oak doors, it was pity that he felt.

"Come in." A voice said from inside.

She turned the knob and with forceful push opened the door that had remained locked from humanity for so many years. "Eppy said you wanted to see me..."

The man, all gray hair and desolated eyes, nodded as he took a look at the little girl in front of him. _Young lady_, he thought. _Almost so._ He stared at her for a few seconds, searching for a glimpse of red hair, waiting to catch brown light bouncing of her eyes, anticipating some sort of dimple in at least one of her cheeks but soon gave up disappointed; there was nothing of _her_ in her.

"I got a letter for you today," he said hoarsely and lifted an envelope. "From England."

The girl nodded confused. England sounded like those kinds of lullabies they sing to you as a baby- the ones where you can forget the words but never the melody. She had asked her nanny about it once but the fearful old lady had simply shaken her head the way she did when something was beyond her control, saying that in this house that whole country and everything in it did not exist. "I'll tell you this, my dove," she had added as an after thought, "it's home for us and one day we'll go back to it."

"From Hogwarts, a school for the young wizards and witches such as yourself," he continued, remembering how separated his daughter was from that world and how little she knew of it. "You start September first. If you choose to go, that is. Personally, I see no difference between continuing with your tutor here or going there but your grandparents have... _insisted_," he finished off, thinking 'insisted' was too mild of a word. "It's your future so I'll leave it up to you. Good night now."

There were still questions on her mind as he finished off with that dismissive tone of his but being in this room was too overwhelming for her, the darkness too suffocating, and his heartless voice too cold. "Good night, father," she said and left the room not giving the man twice the look she would've a stranger.

"Child," her nanny was waiting for her outside the door as soon as she stepped out, "is something wrong? Eppy just told me-"

"Everything is fine, nanny," she replied reassuringly as she they walked side by side back to her room, their steps leaving quiet echos in the grand Russian mansion. "He wanted to know if I wanted to go to school."

"Hogwarts?" she asked.

"Yes."

"And?"

The girl shrugged. "He said there was no difference and between being tutored by you and going so far away, I rather stay here with you."

"None sense," she said, fondly covering one of the girl's hand with both of her plump ones. "There is a difference. You'll have other children there and you need friends, my dear. And your cousins will be attending as well... you have so many of those that you'll never feel lonely. And one of your aunts teaches there. I'll miss you here with me," she added in a matter-of-fact sort of voice, letting her hand go and continuing on their way, "but you'll be better off there.

"You need friends," she repeated this as if it was the most important thing of all. "I promise to stay in touch, of course. I'll write to you as often as I can. In fact, I'll write to you so often you could start a book of letters if you wanted to. Tell you what we're going to do?" The girl nodded. "Tomorrow I'm going to write to your grandmother and ask her if there's any way she can take you to Diagon Alley -oh, dearie, you'll like it there! It'd be better not to pester your father 'bout anything or else he might change his mind 'bout letting you go. Your grandmother misses you so too. She'll want to see you. That's what we're going to do!"

The girl climbed into bed deep in thought. "Did my father go there? To that school in England?"

"Of course. During the times of the Headmaster Albus Dumbledore too! Brilliant man, he was -may God rest his soul."

"And my mother?" she asked slowly. Her mother, like England, didn't exist in this house either.

But her nanny was much too excited to give it much thinking. "Her too."

"Nanny? I think I'll like this place, this Hogwarts."

She blew out the candles and nodded. "I think so too, my dove. I think so too."

x..x

**A/N:** I know the story might seem a little confusing now but it soon it will explain itself. Thanks for reading and I'll be eagerly awaiting your reviews!


	2. Chapter One

Chapter One

_x..x_

Though nobody seemed to able to remember why it had been so, it had been taken by a muggle camera, allowing the moment to be not only captured but frozen forever. The color had faded through the passage of time, and crests were running through the middle due to the many times it had been folded into a pocket or hugged tightly during the night. At some point it had probably been slightly abused by some sort of liquid since the right side of the photograph was quite blurrier than the left.

There was a man with jet-black hair and a scruffy face that said times had been tough and shaving had become unimportant but with a grin so wide that it assured everything would eventually be okay. The woman next to him was somewhat shorter, with a smaller body frame, and, between one of his arms covering tightly around her shoulders and a toddler's head resting near her face, was almost completely hidden from the camera. Still the sort of dance in her brown eyes and the way her red-head seemed to emit fire made it impossible for the viewer to miss her.

That photograph was the first and only one Regina Potter had ever had of her mother. Nanny had given it to her the day before she left to visit her grandparents for the first time about five years ago. She had taken Regina to her room in a hushed voice, locked the door as soon as they were inside, and stripped down her drawers till there was nothing left but the photograph that had been hidden underneath the garments. She knew she shouldn't be giving Regina anything her father would disapprove of, she had admitted, but 'a girl has to know who her mother was.'

Regina couldn't remember when or who had told her but the knowledge that no memories of her mother would ever be found in her house had always been present in her mind. Her father's orders, she knew though, again, couldn't remember from where. She often found it amusing how even though the man was forever locked up in his room, he could still control every single aspect of the house. Regina had never actually seen him hurt anyone but she imagined that, if he had this much control over people, he must be truly horrible.

Of course, it wasn't the only time Regina was ever to see her mother. Her smile was everywhere in her grandparent's house and in her uncles' as well. But she never took one of those photgraphs home, no matter how much her relatives lovingly insisted. She didn't want to risk her father finding out. But she always held on to that one, that first. For one thing, it was small enough so that folded it could fit anywhere and for another that photograph was good luck.

Now, as she took it off the mirror she wondered just how much luck she would need. None at all if, like grandmother often said smiling, 'all is good when one is young.'

Regina didn't know exactly what it was (maybe it was because her hair had rebelliously refused to collaborate that morning or because she had spilled orange juice all over her t-shirt -or maybe because both had happened the day she'd be starting a new year at Hogwarts) but something deep down inside, even as she dutifully folded the photograph and tucked it into her jean's pocket, kept telling her that luck was something she was going to need.  


x...x

"_God._"

After making one last visual check that everything was in its place, Regina closed her trunk and smiled at her cousin. "Good morning to you too, Violet."

"Don't good morning me," said Violet, undoing Regina's bed and climbing into it. "You look so... ready. And it's so... early. It's sickening." She eyed her suspiciously. "I've seen it happen before. With Katie, you know. First, you start out being a morning person, eating breakfast early, making sure all your books are in their proper place and next thing you know _BAM!_ There's suddenly a Head Girl badge shining on your uniform and the snuggest of smiles stapeled to your face."

"I'm much too careful for that," Regina assured her. "Now get out of bed. I don't want to leave a mess behind for grandma."

"That woman loves cleaning after us. It's like the whole cooking thing. Why do you think she spends hours on the kitchen?"

"Because this family eats like pigs?"

"Because it's her way of saying 'I love you'," Violet clarified but she got out of bed all the same. "Do you have a brush? I'm guessing not if you had to fall back to putting up your hair in a _bun._ And using that ugly clip too-"

"Bottom drawer."

"I can't believe you're not ready yet." Violet's older sister Katie snapped at her, walking into the room. "You told mum you'd take five seconds to get ready as soon as we got to grandma's house... that you were too tired to do it in our house. And since we had to pick up Regina anyways, mum obliged but, _Violet_, you're really not going to get there one time. Good morning, Regina," she added, her mouth instantly curving into a gentle smile. It was interesting to see how a smile could completely transform a face. "Ready to start your...sixth year, is it? Sixth year is always fun. No O.W.L.S. and no N. E.W.T.S."

"In other words," said Violet with a smile that was hidden by a yawn, "no stress."

"Hurry up and get dressed," Katie told her. "Everybody's already waiting downstairs. And mum's upset enough as it is with you for not making Head Girl..."

"Oh!" cried Violet, dramatically throwing her hands up in the air. "Enough with that! You were Head Girl and I was prefect that one year. Isn't that enough? Besides," said Violet, before Katie could speak again, "I'm already dressed."

Katie's eyes traveled from her sister's cotton, pink-bunny patterned shorts and pink tank-top (the same clothes, Regina knew, Violet had slept with), to the tennis shoes with the shoe-laces untied. For a moment she looked at Violet disbelieving and Regina couldn't exactly blame her. Of all people, Violet would never been seen in public in anything less than the perfect outfit. But after a while, Katie shrugged, too tired to argue. "Whatever. Let's go."

Violet turned to the mirror, running the brush she had been holding in her hand through her hair twice. She curled up her lashes, glossed her lips, and shimmered her cheeks. To Regina great amusement, that was all it took for Violet to look, despite still wearing her pajamas, better than any girl could hope for.

"You're insane," Regina commented as they made their way down the stairs.

Violet shook off Regina's hair clip, taking advantage of the fact that both Regina's hands were busy with her trunk and smirked, "I could teach you if you let me."

_x..x_

"Oh no." Violet's hand wrapped around Regina's wrist as she yanked her behind the ticket's booth. "It's Michael." She lowered herself all the way to her knees, brining Regina down with her as she did so and snapped, "Don't," when she raised her head to see what Violet was talking about. "He might see you. Then he might see me!"

"Who?"

"Michael Thomas. The Ravenclaw. The Ravenclaw Qudditch Captain," she tried again but Regina remained looking clueless. "He's standing right there with Maggie Stewart. And just look at the way she's all over him! That slu- Don't!" she said again as Regina attempted standing up. "I can't let him see me like this! Not in my bunny shorts! Now, hold still for a second and let me think. Maybe if we make a run for it, we can get on the train before he notices us and then I can quickly change in the compartment... Never mind that," she said crossly. "He's already going through the barrier... Look there's a rest room over there! You see it?" Before Regina could reply she went on, "Come on."

They hurried through the crowds of King's Cross until they reached a small, rusty door with the word 'Restroom' written on it with premanent marker in a scrawny handwriting.

"It looks really unsanitary," observed Regina.

"Doesn't matter. I'm not letting Maggie have the hottest guy in school. Not on my last year of Hogwarts, anyways. It's a one person bathroom," she added, as she opened the door and took a look inside.

"I was not going in there anyways," said Regina, wrinkling her nose as a rather sickening odor reached her.

"I'm just going to change into some jeans and a t-shirt. It won't take me long. Don't leave without me, okay?"

"Just hurry," said Regina.

Leaning against the wall, Regina tried to search for a face that would remind her of who 'Michael Thomas' was and failed miserably. Whoever he was, thought Regina moving away from the door to avoid the smell that seemed to now be imprinted under her nose, he was not worth missing the train to Hogwarts which she was sure they would end up doing if Violet took a second longer.

"I believe Platform 9 3/4 is that way."

Regina was startled to find that she had moved down the wall far enough to be side by side with a stranger sitting on the ground. "Sorry?" she stammered, looking down at him.

"You lost? " He stood up lazily and leaned against the wall just like she was. "I really can't think of any other reason why a girl like yourself would be all alone. Unless you're meditating or something."

"Meditating?" asked Regina confused.

"Sure. You can only mediate when you're alone. However," he dropped the cigarette he was holding into the floor, crushed it with one of his thick black shoes, and cringed when a three year old not to far from them burst into wails after her mother had taken away her lollipop, "London's King Cross isn't exactly the place to do that. Yoga might help or a warm scented bath. Never have tried either myself but-"

"I'm not mediating anything. And how do you know what platform I'm looking for?"

Regina wondered if they went to Hogwart's together and then dismissed the idea for two reasons. The first was that she would have remembered having seen him before. And the second was the he didn't have a trunk with him, just a backpack. Still, how could a muggle know about Platform 9 3/4?

"The wand. I figured you must need it for school." Regina looked down to see her wand poking out of her bag. So he had to be a wizard, right? No muggle would know about Platform 9 3/4 _and_ about wands. Then he smiled. It was more like a smirk to tell the truth but it was the first time since their conversation had started that he let it be know that he wasn't exactly serious. And, for some reason, it suddenly made her feel very foolish. "Nice girls like you don't just play around with sticks."

"What are-"

"Regina!" She heard Violet's voice a few feet away and then it was next to her. "Come on, I'm finished. Let's go."

"Bye." Regina gave the stranger one last look before turning around and jogging up to her cousin, who was already a few steps away.

He took out a new cigarette and waved absently. "See you."

"What took you so long? The train's about to leave!"

"But I look better than Maggie Stewart, don't I?" said Violet, fluffy her hair in triumph. "Who was that anyways?"

"I don't know," said Regina. "No one, I guess."

x..x

After Violet refused to make a run for it because, as she impatiently explained, "I'd rather not get there at all than to get there all sweaty," and several parents in the platform stopped them to say hello, wish them luck, send Uncle Fred or Aunt Bessy or Uncle Charlie ("Did I ever tell you about the time your Uncle George and I..." started one man, to Regina's immense frustration.), make sure they come visit in the summer, etc., etc., Regina had been sure there would be no way they'd make it on time. But by some miracle of God, she found herself settled in an empty compartment, actually waiting _for_ the train to get moving and looking out the window at all the tearful mothers and grinning fathers.

Uncle Ron and her grandparents had been out there as well, beaming and waving, advising and warning, every year since her first one, back when she was only eleven and they were still more strangers than family to her. However at yesterday's breakfast Violet had declared that, at seventeen, she was old enough to get herself as well as her younger cousin unto the train safely; Uncle Fred had laughed, Katie had scowled, but Aunt Hermione, being a Professor, had left to Hogwarts already and there was no one to object except Uncle Ron who could never say no anyways and so, once again, Violet got her way. Of course, Regina missed seeing the familiar faces outside her window but she couldn't say she was all that sorry for their absence. Having them present always made her think of the people that were absent; the one who could never come to hug her good-bye and the one who had never wanted to.

She took out a parchment and a quill and went as far as writing _Dear Nanny_ on the top before she was interrupted by a "Hey, I've been looking for you." from the compartment's door, which had apparently been slid open without her noticing. For the brief second it took Regina to raise her head, she assumed it was her best friend, Larrie Barclay. It wasn't but it was close; it was Larrie's brother, Ashley.

Ashley Barclay was one of those boys even girls like Maggie Stewart, girls who were beautiful, who knew how to use their beauty to seduce, and who had no problems going through boys like they did ink bottles, would consider themselves extremely lucky to so much as go on a date with him. That is why, though he was her best friend's brother as well one of her cousin's best friends and had always been nothing short of polite to her, Regina found herself asking, her surprise ill-disguised, "You were?"

He nodded. "You and Violet... I was worried you'd miss the train," he explained and Regina could see that he truly had been. "You guys got held back?"

"Violet-," started Regina then stopped herself, not knowing how to narrate the story without revealing Violet's crush on Michael.

"Was being Violet?" finished off Ashley helpfully. When Regina nodded, he chuckled a bit. "Where _is_ she, anyways?"

"With her friends."

Violet had invited her to stay but while to many sitting with the most popular crowd in school was nothing short of a dream come true, Regina knew it would be torture. Yes, it was true the most beautiful faces could be found in there but beautiful faces are the best disguise for cruel souls. Of course, she knew they weren't all like that (Violet and Ashley were prove of that) but if she could avoid the calculating, seizing looks she was sure to get from at least one girl in there, then she would.

"Oh," said Ashley and Regina suddenly got the impression that he had known that already. How could he have not? He had always sat with Violet and "her friends."

She anticipated a 'good-bye' now but it didn't come. He just stood there, looking at her as if they were still in the middle of a conversation even though Regina felt an awkward silence beginning to intrude.

"I tried finding Larrie but failed," she tried. "Do you know where he is?"

"He looked for you," said Ashley, running a hand through his perfect wavy blonde hair, "but a meeting for Prefects and Heads was going to start in the Head's compartment as soon as the train go on its way. He's didn't want to be late and I promised to make sure you'd get on on time..."

"He made Prefect?" She asked surprised that Larrie hadn't mentioned it in any of his letters. And then, realization sinking in, she started again before Ashley could answer, "Ashley, you're Head Boy."

"Yeah, I know." He smiled sheepishly. "Violet's going to kill me but-"

"Ashley?" She said, her eyes traveling from the badge to the window outside. "The train's rolling. You're meeting started already."

"Is it? It did?" said Ashley startled. A small blush crept into his cheeks as he stammered, "I didn't- I- Well, good-bye then."

He left in a hurry, and Regina soon heard him saying from outside, "I'm sorry, mate. Didn't see where I was going. Really am sorry..."

Regina smiled to herself, knowing no one could get mad at handsome, easy smile, blue-eyed Ashley.

And then _he_ came into her compartment, straightening out his shirt (or wiping it, Regina couldn't tell), and muttering, "Bloody idiot."

There was something strange about him, something insulting and reassuring, offensive and defensive, harsh and charming all at the same time. A mess of contradictions, you might say. And it was all compressed in his sharp face. While Regina looked at him with more confusion than surprise, he took notice of her with neither.

"Long time no see, eh," was all he said, letting go of his shirt and untying the knot in the middle of his eyebrows.

"You don't come to Hogwarts," she said and instantly regretted it because he responded with one of his more-of-a-smirk-than-a-smile smiles. Finding out you hate feeling foolish is never nice.

"You're a bright duck. Now I suppose I have no option but to confess. I was so engrossed by your beauty back there that I kidnaped an innocent student, stole his uniform, and hopped into the train not caring that I was about to travel God-knows-how-many miles to a school that won' t let me smoke but will make me wear _uniforms_. What can I say? I'm a huge fan."

"Funny," she said resentfully. "Now that you're finished with your story, you can leave. I don't like riding with strangers."

"Strangers!" He cried with mock quiet indignation. "Why, we've know each other for a full thirty minutes now. Twenty, at least. We have a history. How dare you call me a stranger? Besides riding with strangers isn't quite so bad. It just depends on the way you ride," he finished meaningfully.

"_We_ have no history," she snapped. "And I'm beginning to think you have a mental disorder."

"I'm not the one meditating in the middle of King's Cross," he pointed out. "Oh, there now. Don't be so touchy," he said as Regina stood up to leave. His voice had soften and he was standing in between the door and Regina in a gentle yet commanding manner. "I was only having a laugh with you."

"A laugh at me," she corrected. "You're a potential-mental-disorder-stranger who was having a laugh at me."

"I'm a transfer student," he relented.

She narrowed her eyes. "From where?"

"Home-schooled."

Regina contemplated this for a second and then went back to her seat, seeing that he was being serious and had left his sarcasm aside. For now, anyways. "Okay."

"So do we have names?" he asked.

It was a little funny to think you can converse with a random guy in a train station, find out your going to school together, be mocked by him, and then, after all of that, realize that names had not been given. It wasn't hilarious but it was _a little_ funny. Enough to make her smile, anyways. "Tell me yours first.'

"Scott Carrow."

"It's nice."

"I had no say in it," he shrugged. "What about yours?"

"Regina Potter."

She waited for him to say something about her dad like most strangers did, but there was no 'Your dad is Harry Potter!', no 'Wait, so your dad's the guy with the scar?', not even a 'Sounds familiar, that name does.'

He just nodded thoughtfully. "It fits you nicely."

"As oppose to it not fitting?" She laughed.

"Well, sure. It happens all the time.". Regina looked at him disbelievingly. "I'll prove it to you. As soon as I see a case of Misfitting Name, I'll point it out so you can see."

He said it like it was some sort of official disease to: Misfitting Name.

It didn't sound logical to her, but she found herself nodding, ready to hear him babble on some more because while she thought most of what he said was nonsense, it was nonsense that made her think and argue. And that, surprisingly, felt nice though she would never admit it. Not even to herself.

_x..x_

By the time the compartment door was slid open again, the weather had drastically evolved from mildly cloudy to an intense thunderstorm. Regina hadn't noticed it, however, until a particularly loud thunder erupted at the same time that Maggie opened the compartment door, giving her appearance a sort of horror movie effect that caused Regina to gasp.

"Seen Ashley?" She asked Regina, remaining at the door.

Maggie hadn't even finished her two word question before Violet, with Larrie trailing behind her, slipped in between her and the door into the compartment. All three of them, Regina noticed with little alarm, were already wearing their Hogwarts uniforms.

"Have you?" insisted Maggie impatiently.

"Relax," said Violet with a smile. "He's probably hiding from you. Surely you're used to people doing that by now..."

"Hello," Regina mouthed at Larrie, not daring to interrupt the discussion with anything louder than a whisper.

Larrie grinned as he mouthed back, "Hey."

"Violet, I'm not in the mood right now. I need to find him. As Head Girl-"

"-you deserve to be warned ahead of time. Flaunt that title one more time and I'll flush the badge down the toilet." Violet kept her smile, so sweet it could've been in love, but Maggie promptly closed her mouth, which had remained open throughout the interruption. "Try Australia," she added as if helpfully. "I think Ashley mentioned it the other day. Say hello to all the Kangaroos. Bye-bye."

Maggie was far from ready to leave, her eyes having just fallen on Scott. She grinned brightly. "Hello there. I'm Maggie Stewart. How rude of me not to have introduce myself! You must be the new student they mentioned at the meeting. But of course you are! I think I would've remembered you otherwise."

"Stick out your tongue, maybe she'll remember then," muttered Violet but Maggie didn't hear, or she made a good job of pretending not to.

"Prefect?" mouthed Regina to Larrie.

Larrie replied with a shrug and a blush.

"I just want you to know," Maggie went on, "that as -Um," she turned around so that her face was completely away from Violet and whispered, "Head Girl," before raising her voice again to continue, "I want you to feel completely comfortable with asking me for anything."

"Anything!" empathized Violet, not bothering to mutter this time and making it better only by adding, "She's such a friendly person, Maggie is."

"And your name?" Maggie was successful in ignoring Violet once again.

"Scott Carrow."

"Nice to meet you. I need to go find my friend. It's urgent, unfortunately. But anything you need..." her voice trailed off.

Violet opened her mouth but Regina kicked her in the shins and she ended up yelping, "Ouch! What was that for?" she demanded, as Maggie slid the door shut.

"I'm not saying nice. I imagine that would be too hard," said Regina. "But is polite completely out of the question too?"

"Uh. Let me think. She flirts with the love of my life, and with one of my best friends, and she's gone out with all of my ex-boyfriends, _and_ she's made Head Girl, which is only going to lead to my mum into thinking she's 'oh such a nice girl' to whom she's going to compare me for the first of my life because having perfect Kate as a sister isn't bad enough. So. Polite? Not even an option. And don't give me sass for it either. I saved you and Ashley. I'm a hero. I expect a trophy as soon as we get to Hogwarts. At the very least, I will have a cape."

"Sorry?"

"Do you look familiar or am I finally going insane." She tilted her head, looking at Scott.

"Yes to the first, and I would think so to the second," replied Scott looking quite entertained. "We briefly saw each other at the train station."

"This is my cousin, Violet Weasley," said Regina. "And this is Larrie Barclay."

"Nice to meet you," said Larrie lamely sticking out his hand. Scott shook it somewhat lazily, though if it was because that was just his way of doing things or because he instantly disliked Larrie, Regina couldn't tell.

"God, you look awfully familiar. Not from the station," she added when Scott looked at her pointedly. "Have I seen you from before? Are you sure?"

"Should I stick out my tongue and see if you remember then?"

"Cheeky," Violet said to Regina. "I like him. I need to go now. Michael and Ashley are in danger of Maggie's evil gigantic bra size. Don't forget my cape," she closed the door before Regina could protest, though Regina had given up quite a while ago.

"We're almost there..." Larrie informed, standing up.

"Oh," said Regina, getting the hint. "We should change, Scott."

"Change?"

"Into our uniforms."

"Oh well..." He said as if dreading the idea. He took out his uniform from his back up and began taking off his shirt.

"Don't!" cried Regina. She hadn't inherited the Weasley's ability to blush at the drop of a wand but she could feel herself turning pink now. "Not here. Find another compartment."

"There are no other available compartments. Come on, I'll close my eyes." But an undeniably wicked smile betrayed him and Regina soon recovered from her embarrassment and fell into frustration.

"I know where we can find a compartment," offered Larrie.

"I'll stay here, thank you very much."

"I know where we can find a coffin," offered Regina.

"So where's the compartment?"

x..x

"He's a bit..." Larrie searched for a word. They were sitting in the Gryffindor table, watching as one by one the first years were called in to place the hat above their heads, be sorted, and then received into a table full of enthusiastic applause. Scott was at the end of that line too. "Well, he looks a bit..."

"Cocky?" tried Regina, watching Scott twist his neck impatiently while a name was being called. "Sarcastic?"

"I don't know. He's just..." He trailed off again. Larrie had a habit of doing that when he had to make his mind up about something. He'd start voicing his opinion then stopped. Sometimes he'd finish off after a few seconds, sometimes after a few days, and sometimes he'd drop the subject all together. Katie had once said it was because he thought things too throughly and made everything so much more complicated, jumbling up all his thoughts.

"He's different," agreed Regina when she realized this wasn't going to be one of those 'after a few seconds' time. "From other boys, I mean."

"You say he was home-schooled? Maybe he's just not used to be social..." It was a bit ironic that he should bring it up considering that Larrie, who had been around people all his life and whose brother was one of the most popular boys, was really quite far from social himself. But he was observant, Regina had to give him that, and his way of analyzing was quite impressive. "He just seems so cold. Almost dangerous."

"Dangerous?" Regina turned abruptly towards Larrie, deciding at that moment that for once Larrie was wrong about someone. "What do you mean by that?"

"He's not aggressive... Not like that," he agreed . "He's not mean to you, is he?"

"No," said Regina without giving it a second though. Teasing? Yes. But mean? "Why?"

He shrugged. "Just making sure."

"You're mean," laughed Regina, eager to change the subject as a first year joined the Hufflepuff table, which had erupted in claps. "Not telling me about being Prefect. Honestly, Larrie, and I thought you were my best friend!"

"I wasn't proud of it," said Larrie. "I was actually kind of dreading it. My parents were expecting it, you see. Because Ashley was made prefect. It was a 'if he can do it, then you can do it too' sort of thing. They were disappointed because I wasn't made Prefect last year but I was relieved. And now..."

"The pressure is on again?"

The Gryffindor table stood up in a roar of applause as Wilton, Allen got up from the stool beaming.

Larrie nodded, his eyes quietly glancing over at his brother. Ashley was starting to take his sit again, a pretty brunette whispering something in his ear with a giggle and another blonde one laughing gentle as he blushed.

"Genetics are a real hit or miss," muttered Larrie. "Look it's the new kid's turn."

Regina looked up to find that Scott was sitting in the stool with the sorting hat on his head. He looked kind of silly, following all the little first years, and sitting there with his sarcastic look and the old battered hat on his head. The crowd had hushed, curious as to where this stranger -that seemed to belong nowhere, in most of their honest opinions- would end up in.

And then finally, "GRYFFINDOR!"

"Really?" said Larrie looking surprised.

Scott took of the hat, looking more excited about finally being able to step down than from being accepted into Gryffindor. He took a sit next to Regina, though Maggie had given him a hug and scooted herself to make space for him.

"Welcome to Hogwarts," whispered Regina with a smile as the Headmistress stood up to begin her speech.

Scott took a deep breath in and let it out quietly. "Indeed."


	3. Chapter Two

**Chapter Two **

_x...x_

**He** hadn't showed up for their first class, fell asleep during their second, and while no teenager in their right mind ever finds class work particularly amusing, Scott openly demonstrated his care by doodling on a piece of parchment during the duration of their third period.

It wasn't that Regina particularly cared, whatever Scott did during class was very much his own business, but the way he arrogantly raised an eyebrow when the Professor would ask him to pay attention and replied with absolutely no disguise in his sarcasm caused a sort of curiosity in her. And if the way the other classmates turned to look at him, as if expecting him to start somersaulting any second, was any indication, they too were stirred by his quiet but noticeable behavior.

"You may not know this," said Regina stopping on her way out of class to watch him turn the piece of parchment he had been doodling on to ash, "but you're suppose to at least_ pretend _to pay attention during class."

"I don't believe in lying," said Scott. His tone was accusatory, so much so that if he had called her a liar right out, Regina couldn't have felt more indignant.

"That wouldn't count as a lie."

"Oh yes it would."

"No, it would not. There's a difference in being polite and being a liar."

"Pretenders are both. Where's that kid?" He asked looking over her shoulder just as Regina opened her mouth to argue. "Larrie, you said his name was."

"He doesn't have this class."

"Shame. He always seems to have all the answers."

"What do you want to know?" asked Regina a bit thrown off.

"Whether pretending is lying or not," he said as if talking to a three year old.

Regina shook her head. "Never mind. Just drop it."

"I can't. Not until you tell me I'm right." He grinned at her, clearing enjoying messing with her sanity.

"You can be such a pain," she pouted.

"Then I won't drop the subject. I will, however, change it. But only because I finally found one and I have to tell you before I forget."

"One what?"

"Misfitting Name." It took Regina several seconds before she finally understood what he was talking about. "Violet."

"Sorry?"

"Your cousin. Long hair, fiery temper, quite a few freckles, about this tall," he held his index finger in front of his eyes.

"I know who she is," said Regina, pushing the finger back down. "I'm not that stupid. I just don't see what's wrong with her name."

"What color is her hair?"

"Red."

"And her eyes?"

"Brownish?"

"And her skin tone?"

Regina crossed her arms across her chest impatiently. "You have five seconds before I leave to find Larrie so just-"

"None of it is violet! So why is her name Violet?"

"Lots of people are named Violet," said Regina. "It's just a pretty name."

"So is orange but you don't name a kid orange unless he _is_, indeed, orange."

"You think too much."

"What can I say, Gina? I don't lie and pretend to pay attention in class. I have time to think."

"That's not lying-" started Regina then stopped, her eyes round as she shook her head. "No, no, no. Not Gina, Scott. It's _Regina_. It's always been Regina. I don't like nicknames. They make me sound like some sort of pet."

"How about Reggie?"

She wrinkled her nose in dislike. "Like the music?"

"Gin?"

"Not tacky enough. Try rum."

"Ginny?"

She stood quietly for a few seconds, watching as a few first years walked excitedly one next to the other, their chatter caught in between giggles. "No," she said at last with what she hoped was unemotional simplicity. "That was my mother's name."

He nodded understandingly. "Okay."

She smiled, knowing there would be no further questions and felt thankful for that. "I have to go," she said, catching sight of Larrie at the other end of the hall and waving at him. "Bye."

He waited till she was halfway between him and Larrie and then called out, that smile back on his face, "Bye, Gina."

_x..x_

Ashley eyes glanced at the door at almost the exact moment that Regina walked in with two books in hand and no one besides her. Instead of following his friends to the Ravenclaw table where they were headed, he instantly decided that he would be having breakfast in the Gryffindor table this morning.

"Hey, Regina." He said lightly just as the raven-head was about to be ducked in a book. "Don't tell me you're an early bird too?"

She looked up, finally noticing him and nodded. "Pretty much. I usually wait till Larrie or someone else wakes up but I woke up exceptionally early today."

"Glad you did," he said, reaching over for a biscuit. "I never get to talk to you."

His smile was warm and open but, not knowing exactly what to make of his comment, she changed the subject: "How does it feel to be Head boy?"

"_Thrilling_." Regina laughed as Ashley wrinkled his nose. "No, seriously, it's not that awful. Go over the regulations with Quidditch captains, cover all the rules with first years, and patrol uneventful halls. Boring but not awful. Just don't tell Violet I told you that, she has absolutely warned me against -what was it? oh yes- _corrupting her little cousin._"

"Promise not to," said Regina, still chuckling slightly. "I don't think being Head boy or girl is all that horrible. You are going to be really busy though, huh? Larrie said you were suppose to be quidditch captain this year as well."

He nodded. "But my dad thought being Head boy was more important than quidditch. I'll still be in the team but just as a player. My number one priority will be Head boy duties. You know, I can't very well go to the ministry next year and say 'Well, I did this as quidditch captain... and that's why you should I hire me," can I?"

"You're going into the ministry next year?"

He seemed surprised by her question. "Well, yeah... My dad works there and so did my grandfather and great-grandfather. Larrie and I are really quite lucky to have it all set up for us."

"But Larrie-" she started but her words lost sound when she realized how just about every girl, from the ones sitting down having breakfast to the ones who barely walking through the door, kept looking at Ashley now and then.

Ashley titled his head, obviously not aware, or else used to, of all the attention he drew. "Sorry?"

She shook her head, having forgotten what she was going to say and was thankful when Vanessa Crow, the Gryffindor Quidditch captain, joined them and broke the awkward silence. "Regina. Ashley." She greeted each with a smile. "Good morning."

"Good morning."

"We're having try outs for seeker and keeper positions next Saturday," she told Regina. "If you want to give it a go, you're more than welcome." Regina was about to refuse the offer, but Vanessa cut in with a, "Just think about it. And spread the word. Tell that new kid. He might be good. Scott, isn't?" Regina nodded. "Let him know. And Larrie too... That is, if Ashley doesn't mind getting his butt kicked by his little brother." Vanessa teased.

"I think I'm pretty used to getting my butt kicked by Gryffindor players, anyways," he laughed.

Regina smiled at him, pleased with the humility he showed. Ashley was one of the best players in school.

"I'll do that," she assured Vanessa. "I'll tell Larrie. And Scott too. I'll go and do that right now, actually."

"And you'll think about it too?" Vanessa persisted.

She grabbed both of her books."I'm not very much into-"

"We only have two girls," she said almost pleadingly. "We need more of those. Besides, it's try outs, not marriage."

"I'll think about it," Regina promised. "Bye, Ashley."

He got up at the same time she did. "See you later?" It wasn't just a question, it was more of an invitation, the kind that required a reply.

"Um." Vanessa was looking from Ashley to Regina, as if figuring something out, and at the end of so much head moving, her mouth fell open just slightly. "Sure."

_x..x_

"Hey," said Regina when she finally found Larrie sitting at the last table in the library. "Nice to place to be at this early in the morning. Aren't you planning on having breakfast?"

"I had some homework to finish," said Larrie, eyeing the pile of books. "It's never ending. Saddest part is: I'm not even exaggerating."

"Maybe you should cut back on some classes," she suggested, absently picking up on his books and skimming through it. "We've barely started school and you're already suffering from homework overload."

"I don't think my dad would be very happy with that," he sighed. "Ashley had one more class than me last year and was able to maintain his top scores. And he had Quidditch to add on to the stack."

If there was one thing that she had learned from having so many cousins, it was that unlike the color of your hair, your abilities had little to do with genetics. But she only shrugged, knowing that it would do no good to point this out.

"It reminds me," she said, putting the book back down and picking up The Daily Prophet, "there are going to be try outs for Quidditch sometime soon. Listen to this," said Regina, her eyes falling on an article in the third page. "A body was discovered in King's Cross the day we boarded The Hogwart's Express."

"I read that. Awful, isn't?" He started packing up his books into his bags. "I don't like Quidditch. You know that."

"I do but Vanessa said I should ask you so I did..." She skimmed through the last few pages to see if there was anything more to the story and wrinkle her nose in disgust."This is awful! The body was burnt and disfigured so that no has been able to recognize it. They reckon it was done through magic but can't figure out whether the victim was a muggle or not."

Larrie paid little attention to her last few words and after almost stumbling with a chair, dumbly asked, "Vanessa thought I should try out? The Gryffindor Vanessa?"

"Who else?" She shut the newspaper with a shudder and moved the chair out of Larrie's way with a raised eyebrow.

"I think I'll try out..."

"Really?" said Regina surprised and when Larrie nodded, she went on, "And she also asked me to tell Scott. Seen him?"

"Last time I saw him, he was just waking up."

"Think he'll show up to class today?"

"Maybe it's because he hasn't shown up for first period since school started," said Larrie, "or maybe it's because he wasn't putting on his uniform but, somehow, I strongly doubt that, Regina."

_x..x_

"Why aren't we allowed to leave?" Scott demanded, slipping into the space between Regina and Larrie in the couch where they were sitting. "Why? I just don't understand. This is a _school_, you know. Not a prison."

"Where have you been all day?" asked Regina, noting the frustration in his eyes first and then the fact that he was dressed in normal clothes as opposed to their school uniform. "And what is it that you want to leave?"

"This place." His eyes widen. "This school. I'm only asking for a break... A short trip to Hogsmeade, even."

"A break?" Regina echoed. "I doubt you've gone through a day without missing a single class. It's going to get in trouble too, you know. The way you miss classes is really putting you behind on school work. They haven't told you anything because usually a student is free to take the day off if he's feeling sick but it won't be long until they start ignoring your excuses."

"I am ill. I'm dying, in fact. Sick of being locked up here."

"I didn't know how over dramatic you where." Regina rolled her eyes. "Go to class and wait for the Hogsmeade weekend. It's not that complicated."

He seemed taken back for a second and then he smiled. "I didn't know just how bossy you where, either."

"It's not that, Scott..." She trailed off not knowing how to prove her point. Defeated, she turned to Larrie for help. " Larrie, tell him hell get in trouble."

"You'll get in trouble..." repeated Larrie lazily as he got up with a yawn. "Good night, Regina. Scott..."

"Don't let the bed bugs bite," said Scott with a smirk as he watched him leave and then, turning back to Regina, "Lets go to Hogsmeade. I know, I know," he said tiredly. "Only seventh years can go during whatever weekend they please and the rest of us have assigned weekends. But I bet I can find a way to sneak out this school..."

"Good night, Scott." She said realizing the common room was empty except for them two and that bringing sense to him was completely hopeless.

"I think I'll go to class tomorrow," he offered.

"Tomorrow's Saturday."

He chuckled, realizing it was so. "Well, can't say I didn't try, can you?"

"No," she couldn't help but smile back, "you can't."

_Eh, there's a plot. Really. I promise. It's just builidng up a little slowly. I needed to get this two chapters (and prologue) in before moving on, though, and now that I have you can except it to get better. Tell me what you think and be bluntly honest, please! Thank you much. :smile:_


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